Today, I messed around with my camera, trying to figure out how to get that off-camera flash look. It’s something I’ve seen in photos and always wondered how they did it. So, I grabbed my gear and started experimenting.
First, I set up my camera on a tripod. I figured this would be the best way to keep things steady while I fiddled with the flash. Then, I took my flash off the camera. That felt weird, like taking a fish out of water, but I knew it was necessary for what I wanted to achieve.
- Positioned the flash to the side of my subject. I didn’t really have a subject, so I just used a houseplant. Don’t judge, it was the first thing I saw.
- Played around with the flash power. This was a lot of trial and error. Too bright, too dark, just trying to find that sweet spot.
- Adjusted the camera settings. I messed with the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Honestly, I was just turning knobs and pressing buttons, hoping for the best.
After a bunch of shots, I finally started to see what I was going for. The light was hitting the plant from the side, creating some cool shadows and highlights. It definitely didn’t look like a regular flash photo. Success!
The Results
I transferred the photos to my computer and opened them up in my editing software. I’m no pro at this, but I tweaked the contrast and colors a bit. The photos looked pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. They had that edgy, dramatic look I was aiming for. Kinda made my plant look like a superstar.
This little experiment taught me a lot. Getting that off-camera flash look isn’t as hard as I thought. It just takes some patience and a willingness to play around with your equipment. I’m definitely going to try this again with a real subject next time. Maybe a person, or my cat, if she cooperates.
